Racing for Freedom
by IcyPanther
Summary: Toboe wasn't found by Granny and now lives with an abusive owner. Fed up with his life, he runs away and meets the other wolves. Besides searching for Paradise, Toboe searches for freedom from the man who continues to hunt him down. On Hiatus
1. A Lone Wolf

**Disclaimer: I regret to say that I do not own Wolf's Rain. Although knowing doesn't stop me from wishing.  
  
Summary: What happens if it wasn't Granny who had rescued Toboe? What if he now lived with his 'master', his purpose to serve this man? Toboe finally gets fed up with his life and tries to escape, meeting up with several other wolves. Can he outrun his former master or will he forever be a slave?  
  
Racing for Freedom  
  
Chapter One- The Lone Wolf**  
  
The icy wind bit at the young pup's nose, his fuzz for fur, light brown in color, speckled with drops of snow. A small whimper escaped from its muzzle as the animal curled up to try to conserve heat.  
  
He didn't know why he was out here in the cold with no mother to come to his rescue. All he knew was he didn't feel good and longed for a pair of hands to pick him up, tell him it was all right, and care for him.  
  
The pup's silent prayer was answered as he heard the loud grating of a shovel on the sidewalk as one lone man began the hard chore of scooping up the slush and dumping it to the side. Unfortunately, one of these scoops landed on the furry head that had popped out of the nest of snow.  
  
With a small yelp, the puppy was buried, entirely oblivious to the world once again. Trembling on stick like legs, he tried to rise only to fall back on the ground in defeat._ 'Where's my mom?'_ he whined, sticking his head beneath his paws. _'Where's my mommy?'  
_  
He was but a newborn, not even a week old yet. Unknowingly to the small pup, his mother had been shot earlier that day, the gentle wolf being mistaken as a killer. His brothers and sisters had all been massacred in the shooting, but he had somehow survived.  
  
Now in the middle of a town, hungry and cold, the baby wolf had no idea of what to do. The white powder pressed down on his shivering form, the air becoming harder to draw breath from. _'Someone help me!'_ he cried, pushing his black nose up against the mound to hopefully push it away from his face._ 'Anyone!'_  
  
"And what's this?" came a sweet voice, the snow disappearing from view until a woman's face peered down at the small animal. She was a younger woman, most at about twenty. Bright, coppery curls framed her freckled face, a dark blue scarf wrapped tightly around her neck to keep out the cold. "Who are you little one?"  
  
Gentle, gloved hands reached down and scooped the wolf cub into her arms. "You poor puppy," she cooed, removing her scarf and wrapping it around the partially frozen body. "What happened? Don't worry...I'll take care of you..."  
  
The pup seemed to calm in her light grasp, giving a little lick with its pink tongue to show a sign of thank you. "You're quite welcome," she giggled, holding her precious bundle even more securely. "We're almost there," she said a few minutes later, her voice accompanied by the sound of the snow crunching beneath her feet. "Soon little one..."  
  
Seconds later, the young woman stopped at the door to a rather dingy apartment, fishing in her purse for her key, careful not to drop the dog. With a creak, the door swung open and she entered the dark room, hand reaching for a light switch on the wall.  
  
At once, a soft yellow glow came from a lamp that hung over a small table in what appeared to be the kitchen. Two chairs sat on either side of the table, a blue pillow making a comfortable seat for one who needed to rest.  
  
A refrigerator hummed quietly in the corner, a sink piled high with dirty dishes next to it. "Here you go boy," she said, setting the freezing animal on the table. "Wait right here while I go get some blankets."  
  
Leaving the small room, the young woman turned to the main hall and entered a small bedroom that belonged to her. Pulling a large towel off of the ledge above shower in her private bathroom, she raced back to the brightly lit kitchen, the darkness of the rest of the apartment seeming to close in on her.  
  
"I'm Sarah," she said softly, taking the still form in her arms and wrapping the towel around him after removing her damp scarf. "I apologize for the mess," she said with a laugh, gesturing at the dishes. "I just haven't had the time to clean up for a few days."  
  
With one arm cradling the dog, she opened the fridge and took out a gallon of milk and poured some in a baby's bottle that she had from when her niece had been visiting. Popping it in the microwave above the oven, she waited patiently for the liquid to warm.  
  
Pulling off her navy jacket, Sarah dropped it on a vacant chair before sitting down in the other, the wolf pup still in her arms. "Here you go boy, drink up," she said, pressing the bottle against the brown muzzle.  
  
Instantly, small, pointed fangs took the nipple and contentedly began to suck, the creamy drink disappearing. "What sharp teeth you have," she said, never knowing a puppy to have that many. "I get the strangest feeling you're not a dog," she said after the puppy had finished his drink. "But what else could you be?"  
  
The pink tongue flicked out again in a happy kiss to the woman's chin, another thank you from the animal. "I'll call you Toboe," she mused, stroking the puppy gently. "My great-grandpa named his dog Toboe and I've always loved the name. Seeing as both he and his dog are dead, I don't think they would mind, do you young one?"  
  
Toboe, as he was now christened, yawned, the teeth glinting in the lamplight before curling up on Sarah's lap. "You're tired, aren't you?" When the brown wolf didn't answer her she gave a soft sigh and rose to her feet, Toboe back in her arms. "Time for you to go to bed," she said softly, leaving the kitchen and heading for her bedroom.  
  
A dark presence seemed to fill the hall, growing stronger as her slim hand reached for the doorknob. "I'm being silly," she muttered. "What's gotten into me all of a sudden?" With resolve, she twisted the brass knob and let herself into the small bedroom.  
  
As soon as she saw the curtains blowing into the room from the wind through the broken window, Sarah knew something was wrong. Nervously, she took a step back, only to run into a closed bedroom door. Whirling around, the auburn haired woman came face to face with the man she'd vowed to never speak to again.  
  
"Kevin," she gasped, stepping towards the phone on her nightstand, her light blue eyes never leaving his dark brown. "It's such a...surprise to see you... How did you...get out of...out of..." She stopped as he suddenly lunged, rough hands cupping her chin.  
  
"Out of jail Sarah?" he asked, eyes narrowing in hatred. "What does it matter? I'm out and you're going to pay." From within the folds of his black leather jacket, he withdrew a knife, the silver blade glittering in the faint light from the open window. "You're going to pay after what you did to me Sarah."  
  
"It was for your own good," she cried, stumbling backwards, wrenching her chin out of his grasp. "You were doing horrible things Kevin! You murdered my parents! Destroyed my life! Were stealing and drinking! You deserved what you got...they could have helped you there."  
  
"They did help me Sarah," he said, still eerily calm. "My fellow inmates showed me how wonderful it is to kill, to enjoy the last pleas and hear the screams. They taught me how to torture even in the last few seconds of life. I think it's time to put that knowledge to use."  
  
"You don't understand what you're doing Kevin," she cried, now in hysterics as she realized the phone line had been cut. "If you turn yourself back in before you do anything they won't give you a harsh punishment, I promise!"  
  
"Sorry angel," he said, sneer on his face. "When you told me you wouldn't take my hand in marriage three years back you made the gravest mistake of your life. The life that is about to end now."  
  
Moving with catlike grace, the shaggy black haired man ran forward, knife raised high. With a scream, the woman dropped Toboe to the floor, the small pup now wide-awake and cowering in fear beneath the bed.  
  
With a cackle of glee, he drove the knife deep into her side, the blade coming free with crimson blood. Sarah collapsed to her knees, hands pressing over the wound. "Stop it Kevin!" she wailed, deflecting his next attack with the receiver of the phone. "STOP IT!"  
  
"Let me hear you scream," he whispered, eyes glinting madly. "Let me hear you beg for mercy. Come Sarah...No one can hear you now..." His rant was cut off as a small, but still sharp pair of teeth sank into his right ankle, the wolf cub running out to help. "BLASTED DOG!" he yelled, kicking his leg out, Toboe flying across the room and lying still on the ground.  
  
"DON'T DO THIS!" she screamed, the phone lying in pieces around her. "DON'T DO THIS KEVIN!"  
  
"Good bye Sarah," he said softly, kissing her gently on the lips, a sad smile on his face. "But this is the end for you..." She screamed as he plunged the knife down, the cry ending as her lungs slowly filled up with blood before she fell over on the floor, never to move again.  
  
A small whimper attracted Kevin's attention and he looked at the puppy, trying to get back on its feet. "I think your time is up too dog," he growled, stalking over to the injured form. "Time for you to meet your end."  
  
Roughly, he picked the wolf up by the scruff of its neck, enjoying the sound of pain the creature made as his fingers pressed hard against the fragile neck bone. But something, easily not compassion or remorse, stopped the man before he strangled the animal.  
  
"You're not a dog," he said softly, "you're a wolf. And I know the truth about wolfs young one," he said, voice growing harsh. "But I'll spare you now... Someday you'll wish I had killed you but you will live."  
  
Squeezing the discovered wolf's neck until the animal passed out, Kevin exited the apartment, bloody knife tucked back in his jacket. Leaping into the front seat of a dark black sports car, he gunned the engine and set off down the road, an evil smile playing over his lips.  
  
**Fourteen years later...**  
  
"HURRY UP WITH IT BOY!" yelled the enraged man, face red with anger and the effects of the beer he was consuming. The boy came running into the den where his 'master' was watching television. Wordlessly, he handed Kevin another beer before silently making his way out of the room, somewhat glad for the man's drunken state.  
  
Toboe slumped down wearily on the blanket in the corner of the kitchen. The amber eyes glinted with a smoldering anger and deep hate for his master. Although events weren't clear, the youngster could recall being named Toboe by a woman called Sarah. Shortly after, she'd been murdered and he'd gone to live with Kevin, who had instructed him to call him master.  
  
He worked hard for his master, doing all of the cleaning, cooking, and any other chores requested of him. Unfortunately, Kevin never seemed pleased with his work and often beat him, whether it be his fists or a belt. Long red welts as well as purple and blue bruises covered his body from head to toe.  
  
Toboe didn't know how the man learned about wolves, and truthfully didn't care. But it was a small matter of importance of why the man treated him so. As soon as he'd been six, Kevin had forced him to come into his human form.  
  
A small, half-starved child had emerged, reddish-brown locks of hair covering his head with large amber eyes that he kept in his wolf form. As a child Kevin hadn't beaten him as much but he was still required to do all the work, except cooking unless Kevin planned to eat garbage.  
  
Now, he was treated lower than dirt, his body and spirit both broken and in pieces. His master didn't even give him proper clothing, only a pair of black track pants that were now fraying due to extensive wear. He believed a shirt was useless, seeing as he could whip him whenever he felt like it without tearing material.  
  
The only joy the boy ever received was when he and Kevin left the house. He was forced to retain his wolf form, luckily small enough to pass of as a dog, and left outside of buildings but it was there he learned to cling to his sanity.  
  
Often, people would feel sorry for the animal, chained up to a pole and would offer him bits of food if he was lucky, but most often a pat on the head and a few kind words. Because of this, Toboe didn't hate humans the way he would have if his only source of life were Kevin.  
  
The only reason he was taken along outside was the man was afraid Toboe would bolt from the house unattended and run away. He didn't plan on losing his pet and servant any time soon, so the poor wolf was dragged around. Toboe often used to wonder why the people never arrested Kevin for mistreating his dog, but soon realized that his fur covered all marks of abuse.  
  
"AWW, DAMN IT!" swore Kevin, in a foul mood now that his team was losing. He'd betted heavy money on this match and if he lost he didn't know what he'd do. So using the best stress reliever he had, he yelled out, "GET YOUR BUTT IN HERE SLAVE!"  
  
Kevin never called Toboe by his real name, never having learned it and never asking. The wolf didn't mind. His name was yet to be tainted by this vile man and he would rather keep it that way rather then to flinch in fear whenever it was called.  
  
Like a man being taken to execution, Toboe entered the room cautiously, mentally trying to prepare himself for the beating he knew was coming. "WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?" Kevin yelled, lashing out with his fist.  
  
The hand caught Toboe neatly under the chin, throwing the thin figure off his feet and slamming him into the door he'd exited from. Before he could even rise, Kevin was already letting his fists fly, the hard punches slamming into the already injured body of Toboe.  
  
Despite how many times he'd tried, tears trickled down his bloody cheeks, the result of Kevin's nails scratching deep into the tender flesh. "Stop it...please," he whimpered, curling up and trying to protect himself from the vicious onslaught. "Please Master..."  
  
"Begging never got you anywhere before boy, and it ain't going to get you anywhere now," Kevin snarled, brown eyes alight with fury. Undoing the belt from his pants, he lashed down cruelly on the boy's bare back, smiling in glee as the metal buckle embedded itself into the flesh before he tore it out, bits of skin flying through the air.  
  
Toboe screamed, arching his body in agony as he desperately tried to evade the blows to no avail. After one hour of pure agony, Kevin stopped, the belt hanging limp by his side, the soft sobs of the bloodied youth and the television the only sounds in the room.  
  
"Go back to your bed," Kevin snapped, "after you clean up this mess you've made. I don't want to see your face anymore tonight."  
  
"Y-yes, Master," stuttered Toboe, knowing he had been given a small amount of peace tonight. Painfully sitting up, he struggled to rise fully to his feet, in the end having to use the wall as support.  
  
Stumbling into the kitchen, the wolf filled a bucket of warm water and grabbed a rag, then headed back out to the bloodstained carpet. Dipping the rag into the soapy water, he began to scrub at the russet marks till they had all faded after two hours of hard work.  
  
Dragging himself back into the room, he dumped the dirty water down the sink before collapsing on the thin blanket in the corner. Pulling his knees up to his chin, he tried to block the pain with happy memories.  
  
_"Look Mommy! Look at the puppy!" A tentative hand reached out, patting the brown head. "He's so soft!" the small child squealed, blond pigtails bobbing. "Can we take him home with us? Please Mommy? Please?"  
  
"I'm sorry honey," the mom said, bending down to give her daughter a hug. "But he probably already has a nice home. Besides, your dad is allergic." With a last pat to the head, the little girl left hand in hand with her mother.  
  
'That didn't help much,'_ thought Toboe to himself. _'I don't have a nice home...I would have loved to live with them...'  
_  
Too tired and in too much pain, the wolf pup closed his eyes, trying to calm the raging fire within him. _'I wish I could find some way out of this...Any life must be better.'_ Transforming back to wolf, Toboe curled his tail around him, resting his head on his paws.  
  
He could only look for tomorrow and hope that it would be better then the rest of his life. Someday...someday he would be free from his master. Someday he would be among people who loved and cared for him. Someday he would be happy.  
  
If only someday could come sooner.

**Author's Notes:**

It's my first Wolf's Rain fic!! As most of you can probably tell, Toboe is my fave character! I luv that wolf! Tsume is anothe fave, and I like to see him and Toboe in a father/son relationship. For some reason, yaoi pairings don't seem to work for them...

And now...to vent...AHHHH!!! Fanfic won't let my stories be put in with tabs!! WAAAHHH!! I don't like their new uploading system!! Okay, done yelling, you can come out now.

A review would be much appreciated so I can tell if you hate or luv it! Personally, I like my idea but it is your opinions that shape the story! So press the pretty button?


	2. Running Away

**Disclaimer: Wolf's Rain does not belong to me no matter how much you all wish it did.**

**Racing For Freedom**

**Chapter Two- Running Away**

**Notes: The italics symbolize two things, thinking and the wolves talking. It isn't too hard to figure out when each is being used, just giving you a heads up.**

"Get up boy," snarled Kevin, a booted foot catching the sleeping Toboe in the stomach. With a jerk, the wolf scrambled backwards, amber eyes still sleepy. "We're going out today, hurry up and make me breakfast."

Rising to his feet, the youth inched around the shaggy black haired man, flinching as Kevin pushed him towards the stove. Moving silently, Toboe collected eggs from the fridge and pulled a frying pan out from one of the cabinets.

Cracking two eggs, he dropped them into the pan, checking to make sure they didn't burn while chopping up a fresh apple to add for fruit. Flipping the fried eggs off of the stove, Toboe carefully carried the plate over to his master before going back to the coffee maker and hurriedly preparing a pot.

"Here you go master," he said softly, bowing out of the reach of the older man. Kevin merely ignored him, his eyes focused completely on his breakfast. Knowing it was risky, Toboe took a small piece of the apple he'd left on the counter and popped it into his mouth, savoring the sweet taste.

He might cook all of the food, but never once was he allowed to touch any of it unless Kevin said he could. On a normal basis that meant he'd get a small scrap for dinner and if he was lucky small tidbits from the locals if Kevin took him outside for the day.

Fortunately for Toboe, the murderer was much too involved with eating his own breakfast and ignored the wolf completely. A loud screech filled the tiny kitchen as Kevin pushed his chair away from the table, the legs grating harshly on the floor.

"Be ready to go in five minutes," he said, exiting the room.

Toboe cleared the dishes from the table, washing extra hard at the yolk mess on the plates. As soon as the small chore was done, the boy took a collar off of a hook over his bed and placed it around his neck, wincing as the leather rubbed up against the raw skin from when Kevin had dragged him.

A leash came off the same peg and the russet haired boy clipped it to the ring on the collar before dropping to all fours, now in his wolf form. Semi-stiffly because of the deep injuries on his back, Toboe went to the front door and sat down to wait for Kevin.

Eleven minutes later exactly Kevin came to the door, dressed in a pair of faded blue jeans and a deep red polo shirt with navy trim. Toboe knew where they were going...The Shop.

The Shop was a small black building slightly separated from its neighbors. While Toboe waited outside tied to a no parking sign, Kevin went inside to stock up on beer, cigarettes and to chat with his buddies. They could be there for almost the entire day, not much fun when for the wolf when it's pouring rain outside.

Today though it seemed a small ray of light was streaming down on Toboe. Aside from managing to sneak a bite of breakfast, the sky was cloudless, the sun shining down and warming the street.

"Let's go runt," Kevin said, tugging harshly on the leash leaving Toboe no choice but to go forward or be dragged along. Once they reached the street outside of their small home, Toboe fell into step on the left of Kevin, nails clicking on the cement.

Almond eyes looked down the street curiously, ears pricking forward. Already people were up and about, some dressed in uniform and entering their desired working places while others were dressed in everyday wear.

Being a Saturday, school kids were also out, dressed in jeans and tee shirts, lounging on the corners with friends, walking down sidewalks, and entering shops. A small moan escaped the pet wolf, as he longed to be with them.

"Let's go already runt," snarled Kevin, jerking the leash forward when Toboe stopped. With a short howl when Kevin kicked his foot against his side, Toboe started forward again, limping slightly.

Minutes later they reached their destination, the black building looking just as foreboding as ever to Toboe. "Stay here and be good for once," growled Kevin, wrapping the leash tightly around the pole.

Giving Toboe one final kick, Kevin entered the building, the door slamming shut behind him. As soon as the boy knew Kevin was gone for now, he laid wearily down on the hard ground, whimpering slightly at his newly acquired injuries.

_'It's not fair,'_ the wolf thought, licking his paw,_ 'why do other dogs get such nice owners?' _To prove his point a young girl walked by with her mother, a small golden retriever puppy on a leash. Every few second the child would reach down and scratch the dog between the ears, sometimes rewarded with a small lick to her face.

_'Why do I put up with this?'_ he wondered; now resting his head between his paws. _'Oh yeah, that's right. Where else would I go? I'm just a worthless child with nothing to offer to anyone except another stomach to feed. Besides, if they were to figure out I'm a wolf the odds wouldn't be so great.'_

_'But shouldn't I have somewhere to go? Even living out my life as a stray would be better, ne? No...Kevin would hunt me down wherever I go. After all, he does have the tracker. Even if I were to disappear out of town he would follow. What kind of a chance do I even have?'_

The tracker had been embedded in Toboe's right hand when he was twelve, two years ago. He'd attempted to run away only to be caught by Kevin who was up getting a late night drink of water. To make sure he'd always know where Toboe was, Kevin had gone out and bought to small silver disks.

One he embedded in the wolf's paw and the second he put in a necklace of his that he wore everywhere. From then on, all he had to do was press his half of the tracker and he could find Hiei anywhere. It worked over thousands of miles distance so getting out of range was out of question.

_'That doesn't mean I can't try,'_ Toboe thought defiantly, rising to his feet. _'All I've gotta do is get rid of this leash for now. Kevin will be occupied for the next few hours so I should be okay. Just gotta break the leash...'_

Twisting his body, the boy gripped the leather strap in both teeth, snarling furiously as he attempted to chew through the hold. No luck at all, leather just wasn't made to break.

_'Maybe I can untie it...'_ Putting claws to the test, the brown wolf started picking at the knot that tied the leash around the sign._ 'Come on,'_ he pleaded with the leash, _'just let me go already!'_

For over an hour Toboe bit, clawed and growled at the leash, only a few scratches and bits of wearing leather showed his hard work. _'This isn't possible,'_ the wolf thought dejectedly, slumping down on his haunches. _'I'm never going to get free.'_

"Awww, look at the dog," cooed a strange yet comforting voice. A girl about Toboe's age knelt on the ground next to him, opening her arms wide. Brown hair hung loose underneath a ski cap, bright brown eyes on the girl's lean frame. "Isn't he adorable Dad?"

Cautiously Toboe rose from the ground and took a step towards the strange girl, sniffing her scent._ 'She smells like vanilla,'_ he concluded, giving her a small lick on the cheek. Her arms gently embraced him and he rested his head on her shoulder, grateful for the kindness he was being shown.

"You're so sweet," she exclaimed, hands petting furiously as the tail wagging increased. "I'm Leara by the way," she said, a soft smile on her face. "Are you hungry boy?" she asked with a laugh, noticing the way the wolf's muzzle kept nudging her pocket. "Then you're in luck."

The girl pulled out a turkey sandwich and broke it into halves. "Half for you and half for me," she said, holding out the food to the injured wolf. Toboe sniffed it several times before deciding he would eat it.

Leara giggled as the wet tongue licked her outstretched palm. "I've gotta go boy," she said, rising to her feet. "Bye!" With a final pat on his head the girl disappeared into a waiting truck where a man was already sitting.

_'She was so nice...too bad Kevin isn't like that.'_ For several more minutes Toboe sat silent, amber eyes seeing nothing except the smiling face of Leara. _"That's it, I'm getting out of here, leash or no leash. Maybe I could go live with her...I know I could never turn human again but at least I'd be living with a nice person.'_

With renewed effort, the wolf pup attacked the leash, foam forming on the sides of his mouth as he struggled vainly to break the restraint. A split second later, Toboe flew backwards, part of the leash in his mouth, part still attached to the pole.

_'I'm free!'_ he exclaimed, giving a happy bark. _'Now where did that girl go?'_ Starting off in the direction Leara had taken, the wolf strolled down the sidewalk, enjoying his newfound freedom.

A shrill whistle pierced his sensitive ears and Toboe turned to see who had made the horrible sound. His answer: a dogcatcher running towards him, a dog whistle in his mouth. _'Darn it! Guess I'm going to be running now!'_

Toboe broke into a sprint, turning down an alley and continuing further into the maze in an attempt to lose his pursuer. After several minutes of countless turns the wolf paused to listen for any sign of the dogcatcher. Nothing.

_'I did it!'_ he cheered silently, doing a small prance in the small space. _'But...where am I now?'_ With all of the running, Toboe had gotten completely lost, all of the pathways looking exactly the same. _'Now what stupid?'_ he scolded himself.

Transforming quickly, the boy scaled one of the brick walls until he was on top of the building before changing quickly back to the wolf. He knew it was more dangerous to be seen as a human at the moment.

Because of all of his abuse marks the police would easily pick him up and then demand to know who did it. That wasn't the problem...the problem was Kevin would tell the authorities he was a wolf and knowing his luck he'd be sent to a research lab of some sort.

With ease, Toboe jumped across the opening that separated the buildings, trying to get his bearings in this strange place. Wait! There was the drug store on the corner. That meant that his home was only a few blocks right.

_'I'll go back and change into nicer clothes that cover everything,'_ he decided, still running over the rooftops. _'Then I'll leave as a human and start out for who knows where. I've gotta try to escape the tracker or else I'm done for...'_

Toboe wasn't a wimp; he would have taken the tracker out of his hand if he'd had the chance. Unfortunately, he didn't. It was positioned just below one of the main veins that flowed next to his wrist. If he were to slip up he'd kill himself for sure. And a mistake was probable with his thin wrists and many veins to hit.

_'Home sweet home,'_ he quipped wryly, landing on the roof of his current home. _'I hope Kevin has something I can wear...'_ Leaping lightly from the top of the house, he landed softly on the grass outside the front step, trying the door handle. _'Locked! Guess I'm going to have to bust in.'_

Making sure that none of the neighbors were out, the wolf lunged at the door, front paws bashing into the wood. _'Open already!'_ he barked angrily at the looming piece of wood, knowing the noise must be attracting someone. _'Please?'_

A sharp, splintering crack filled the air as the door flew open, soaring off of its hinges to land inside the front hall. Dashing inside, Toboe wasted no time in looking for some clothes, hands leafing through drawers.

"There's nothing here!" he cried angrily, slamming the drawer shut. "Come on clothes...where are you?" By now articles were all over the room, hanging on the fan blades, covering the floor and bed but all of them weren't even close to fitting Toboe's small frame.

"Guess I'm going in these pants then," the wolf said to himself, looking down at the worn black track pants. "But I need a shirt and a pair of shoes...where am I going to find those?" With a sigh the boy picked up a tee shirt from the ground. "Guess this will have to do."

Throwing the garment over his head, Toboe examined his appearance in the mirror. The dark emerald shirt went nicely with his auburn hair, the black pants a little scruffy but the best available. "And now for shoes..."

Opening the chest where Kevin kept his shoes Toboe began to leaf through them, looking for the smallest pair. A dirty pair of gym shoes on the very bottom of the case caught his eye. "These fit perfectly!" he exclaimed happily, pulling them on over the socks he'd found. "I guess they were Kevin's when he was younger. Now I just need one more thing..."

Toboe opened the small nightstand drawer and picked up four silver bracelets. "These belonged to Sarah and you stole them," he said softly, slipping the bands onto his right wrist. "I think she'd rather have me own them then you."

Then silently as a shadow, Toboe slipped from the house, the first time ever in his human form. Taking off at a run, he sped around the corner of his street and headed for the heart of town, knowing that the more people between him and Kevin the better.

Nervously, he looked back of his shoulder, so worried that Kevin was going to pop out of nowhere. But because he wasn't looking forward, a second later he crashed into someone, the impact sending the smaller boy flying till he landed hard on the ground.

"Watch where you're going runt," said a voice coldly, golden eyes glaring down at Toboe. The stranger had shocking silver hair, a small part tied back in a ponytail. He wore all black leather, the small jacket revealing a scar on his chest. But the man's scent was what got Toboe the most.

"You...you're a wolf," he gasped in awe, staring up at the young man.

"Yeah, so? Scram already kid," he snarled, looking down at the boy still on the ground.

"Hold on there Tsume," came a cheerful voice. "He's a wolf too. I think Kiba would want to know about this. Are you all right runt?" he asked, offering a hand to Toboe.

This one looked younger then Tsume with tight brown curls clinging to his head and bright red, demonic eyes, which radiated kindness. He was dressed in an overly large yellow sweat jacket, hiding his somewhat pudgy form. A pair of baggy white pants finished off his outfit.

"I'm fine," Toboe mumbled, not meeting the fellow wolf's eyes. "My name is Toboe though, not runt." _'I can't believe it! That's the first person to ever know my name besides myself!'_

"Toboe, huh? I'm Hige and this here's Tsume. He's a bit of a jerk," he whispered, "but he's cool. Come on, you can come meet Kiba...he's kinda like our pack leader."

"I really don't have time to stop and chat," said Toboe with a nervous laugh, hopping from one foot to the other. "I'm supposed to be somewhere right now."

"Oh, sorry runt. Guess you already have a home then? We were all heading out to find paradise."

"Paradise? What's that?" the youngster asked, genuinely curious._ 'It's strange,'_ Toboe thought, _'I don't mind that Hige called me runt. I mean, I'd prefer my real name but coming from him it doesn't sound like such an insult...I think...and he seems friendly enough...'_

"Paradise is this place where wolves aren't hunted by anyone," Hige explained, leaning casually against the brick wall of one of the shops. "Wolves live in peace there with everything they could possibly want."

"You mean we're hunted?" Toboe asked, completely oblivious to the real troubles that faced wolves.

"Where have you been? Of course we're hunted. We're bloodthirsty animals that cause terror and destruction wherever we go. Or at least that's what people say...many believe we're all extinct but a few know of our existence still. Those are the people we're trying to get away from."

"And we've got one of them right behind us," called a new voice, rounding the corner of the block. "That dog is chasing us again, time to go." The newest addition was Kiba, his messy dark brown hair flying out like a mane around his face. He wore a brown jacket with a white tee shirt beneath and a pair of light blue jeans that matched his eyes quite well.

"Hey there Kiba," greeted Hige happily, "I take it you didn't have any luck finding Chezza? Oh, this is Toboe," he said, gesturing towards the young boy who sat silently on an upturned box.

"Great," panted Kiba, "talk later, run now. Go!" The three older wolves took off down the back alley and after a second's thought Toboe followed, having at last found at least one nice person to talk to.

"Jump!" yelled Kiba, soaring off the edge of the alley that had come to an abrupt halt. A wide gap separated them and a building on the lower ground, the drop easily over two hundred feet. Hige leapt off right after Kiba, landing beside the dark haired wolf on the roof.

Toboe paused, the wind whipping at his hair and blurring his vision. "Move it already," snarled Tsume, jumping past the frozen youth.

"I was getting ready too," retorted Toboe, preparing himself. His preparation was cut short as loud growls and howls issued from behind him. Risking a look over his shoulder the wolf pup caught sight of a dark blue dog racing furiously at him, fangs glaring in the sunlight.

Taking a deep breath, Toboe jumped, the dog's teeth missing him by mere inches. With a loud thump he landed on the building, the breath stolen from his lungs. Vaguely, he felt himself pulled to his feet and pushed from behind.

His legs moved mechanically forward at a dead run, eyes focused on the three runners in front of him. Bits of cement blew up in his face, none of them doing too much harm. Looking over his shoulder, the boy spotted a man with a rifle standing next to the dog, readying for another shot.

Putting on an extra burst of speed Toboe raced past the Hige, the thought of being shot putting additional air in his lungs and power in his legs. "We can stop now," gasped Kiba, coming to a dead stop several minutes later. "We're out of range."

Nervously Toboe looked at his right hand then back at the group. "Who was that?" he asked curiously.

"Quent and his dog, Blue," said Kiba softly. "They hunt wolves like us to try to stop us from getting to paradise. But we manage to slip away every time. And no, I couldn't find Chezza...I think she may have been taken out of the city. The scent of lunar flowers no longer lingers here."

"Chezza? Lunar flowers? What are you talking about?" asked Toboe, now completely puzzled.

"Chezza is a young flower maiden made from lunar flowers," said Kiba gravely. "It is said that the flower maiden will lead us to paradise. But now it looks as though we're setting out without here. By the way, Toboe was it, are you coming with us as well?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Toboe said quietly, eyes looking back towards the city.

"Didn't you say you had somewhere to be?" asked Hige, his face confused.

"Well I did but I don't think I'll be missed." _'After all, the place I need to go is out of here and away from Kevin. This Paradise sounds like a good place to start for.'_

"Then welcome to the group runt," said Hiei, clapping Toboe soundly on the back. "Let's get going!" he exclaimed. Tsume frowned slightly as he saw the child wince when Hige's hand connected with him before a smile, slightly forced but not noticeable to a normal eye, came over his face.

"Then you'd better start porky," said Tsume, "we'll be passing you up before long." Hige glowered before turning on his heel and running across the building towards the outskirts of town. Kiba broke into a run and Toboe wearily followed, determined to show the older wolves he could keep up with them.

Several hours later, Toboe was starting to wonder if living with Kevin had been a little better. The four were now trudging across a desert plain, hot winds rushing into them and blowing sand into their eyes.

His throat was parched and his front paw ached terribly after stepping on a small cactus buried among the high dunes. In fact, he still had a long thorn through it, a crimson trail following him in a steady stream before the sands blew over it.

Ahead of him the three other wolves toiled in the sandstorm, all of their coats a dusty brown like his and Hige's normal color._ 'I wonder how much longer they intend to keep going,'_ the wolf pup thought, pausing to lick away some of the sand that clung to his wound. _'Don't they get tired? We've been doing this for hours!'_

The sky continued to darken overhead, the sands blowing harder and driving the wolves back. _'It's time to find shelter,'_ barked Kiba, stopping in his tracks and waiting for the whole group to catch up. _'Did anyone see any sort of overhang or cliff?'_

_'Kiba,'_ sighed Tsume wearily, _'we're in a fucking desert! The only thing here is sand and more sand! And I forgot...SAND!'_

_'Jeesh Tsume, cool down why don't ya?'_ grumbled Hige. _'Hey, where'd the runt go?' _he asked, looking around for the small wolf.

_'I'm right here,'_ said Toboe softly, lying down on the ground next to Hige._ 'I'm just really tired, that's all.'_

_'And now isn't the time for a nap,'_ said Kiba wisely. _'Come on, we need to find some sort of shelter.'_ Weakly, Toboe rose once more to his feet, all of the exertion putting tremendous strain on his injured back and front paw.

_'You're hurt runt!'_ exclaimed Hige, transforming back to his human half. "Let me see that," he said, gently taking Toboe's left paw in his hand. "What did ya do runt? Step on a cactus?" Toboe hung his head in shame, confirming the guess. "Well why didn't you say anything? Running on it isn't helping matters. Now transform back to your human form so I can pull it out easier."

With a small groan Toboe did as instructed, blanching at the sight of his left hand. The large thorn had gone completely through it, scarlet blood coating his entire palm and dropping to the sandy ground.

"We'll take it out when we get to the shelter," said Kiba, also returning to his human form. "If we remove it now a lot of sand will blow in the wound and might cause infection. And the blood flow might be too violent and he'll die."

"You and porky scout ahead for shelter," instructed Tsume, kneeling down next to Toboe. "I'll stay here and keep an eye on the runt. But hurry up, this sand is really starting to bug me." Kiba and Hige nodded before bounding away once more on four legs.

Toboe issued a small whimper as Tsume took the injured hand and pressed his fingers near to the thorn. "Hold still, will you?" snarled the silver haired man. "I'm trying to see how serious this is."

Obediently Toboe stilled, blocking the pain like he did whenever Kevin beat him although it didn't help much. "It went through your palm, fortunately missing any bones," Tsume muttered, gently turning the injured hand over. "You'll be fine runt as soon as that comes out."

Toboe nodded, silent tears streaming down his cheeks, the sand clinging to the moisture greedily. "That isn't all of it, is it?" asked Tsume, gold eyes flickering concern for a second before it disappeared to be replaced by the cold stare.

The wolf pup shook his head, the tears coming faster. "I'm fine," he said softly, voice husky with his crying. "Really, there's nothing wrong except for my hand."

"Really?" asked Tsume, the 'I don't believe you' expression on his tanned face. His hands clamped painfully down on Toboe's shoulders, a short yelp escaping the injured one's mouth before he quickly bit it off.

Gingerly, Tsume rolled up the green shirt, eyes widening in horror at the sight. Lashes crisscrossed over his back, dark bruises marring the pale flesh. Forcing Toboe onto his back, Tsume lifted up the front of the shirt to see healing stab wounds and many more bruises with an occasion whip mark.

"Please don't tell," Toboe sniffled, shakily rising to his feet only to fall back to his knees. "I'm fine...really."

"Who did this to you?" the elder asked, pulling Toboe gently into his lap to shield him as much as possible from the roaring sands. "Answer me," he growled, eyes flashing when the youngster stayed silent.

"No one..." he whispered, voice almost lost on the winds. "Please don't tell Tsume...please..." The amber eyes pleaded for a small shred of mercy, to have his secret kept.

"I'll get the answer out of you later," Tsume said softly, almost tenderly. "But I can't promise I won't tell the others. You just get some rest now." Toboe gave a small smile of thanks before drifting off to the land of slumber.

Several minutes later two shapes appeared out of the thick curtain of ground rock next to Tsume. _'We found an old dingo den,'_ said Hige, sitting down wearily. _'It isn't too far from here...a few miles or so.'_

"Is Toboe all right?" asked Kiba, his jacket fluttering madly about him. "He looks quite pale."

"Kid passed out when he looked at his hand again," lied Tsume easily, a smirk on his face. "I'll just carry him there, he can't run on his paw and he'll just hold us up if we let him walk."

The four set out, all in human form, with Toboe cradled in Tsume's firm yet gentle grasp into the blowing sands. "I don't know what happened to you runt," whispered Tsume, staring down at the innocent face, "but you're in good hands now. That I can promise you."

**Author's Notes:**

And wow! There's chapter two! I hope I didn't make anyone too out of character...I tried my best...n.n I know Tsume was a bit caring but I think anyone would be like that if they found marks of abuse, ne?

Also, the show never specifies ages (at least to where I've seen to) so I'm listing how old everyone is right here.

**Toboe**- 14 **Hige**- 17 **Kiba**- 20 **Tsume**- 22

I can't believe all of the positive feedback I got for the fic! You guys (and girls) are awesome! I hope you all liked this chapter as much and leave a review! Thanx for all of your support! People like all of you keep me going!

**Reviewer's Comments:**

**LishaChan** No, really? I was so sure you'd hate it being focued on Toboe and all...hehe Yep, can you tell I like the killing thing? lol It's actually the third, Black is Our World had some killings too in the flashback. n.n

**BrittneyAnna** Did you watch WR Saturday? The first part of the episode I spent with my ears plugged and eyes shut. I seriously thought that one guy was going to kill the little girl but Quent stopped him, thank Kami! But the part with Toboe and the walrus was awesome! He's finally shown the others he can do something too!

**Lara **Thank you! Here's the update you wanted!

**Jade Aislin** How come you were surprised? I'm curious over here...lol Nope, he got away on his own but his group might end out helping him quite a bit! Yeah, I have odd starts for some of my fics...but as long as it drawers the reader in anything goes.

**inuyashafan65** Yep, this chapter actually! n.n Hope they help him out.

**NightShadow131** I don't mind that you leave long reviews! :D They make me quite happy. Well, now that Toboe has met up with the others we'll get to see some of them so the focus won't be compeltly on Toboe. You'll like that, won't you? n.n Your fave is Kiba, ne? Kevin will probably get what he deserves in a nice bloodbath. n.n

**coffeentoffee** Tissue? I know it's sad...I like to bring the character out so you get to know her (like Seto and Joey's mom in What We Never Knew) and then I kill them. Cruel, aren't I? MWAHAHA Glad ya still luv it though! n.n

**CuteLittleSarah** Arigatou! Here's the next chapter...actually, you already read it but whateva.

**kitsune-firedragon** Doesn't look like you had to wait long, does it? lol

**Kitsune Foxfire** Ya know, the brother thing might work too...Guess it'll depend on how the reader views it...Ummm, hate to sound stupid but what the heck is a camio? -_blushes-_

**Kawaii Ed** That is odd...one of my other fics a girl was going to write a story similar to it until she found mine. Then she realized she'd only be copying! Well, glad ya love it and thanx for putting it on your faves! n.n

**Naraku's Miasma** The show (I believe) doesn't ever say their ages...that's why I put that little think in Author's Notes. I just created ages for them...I haven't seen the whole series either so I'm hoping I'm doing this right. After all though, it is a fanfic and the authoress can change whateva.

**Jazz7** Hopefully it has now moved up to great or awesome on your list but good is better then hate, ne?

**digital-tiffany** I updated as soon as possible! Glad ya luv it, hope to see you again!

**Satanira** I like the way you think! n.n Too bad I don't have Heero (who is that btw?) and a closet at the second...lol I take it you like the story then and hate Kevin? Works for me!

**Kaiya-Chan** I hope he feels better too...now with Tsume on him though I'm sure he'll be oki.

**WolfbanesHybrid** One shot would be a good idea save the fact I don't think all of the other reviewers would agree. So here's the second chapter! n.n


	3. A Past Story

**Disclaimer: I own it in my dreams. But when it comes to the real world...nuh uh.**

**Racing for Freedom**

**Chapter Three- A Past Story**

"_This _is what you call shelter?" growled Tsume, golden eyes glittering angrily.

"It's the best we could find," defended Hige, sticking his tongue out childishly at the older wolf. "It's a freaking desert Tsume! Sand is going to follow us everywhere we go!"

The group had reached the dingo den about an hour after Hige and Kiba had come back. The large cave had been erected in a small cliff of red sandstone but that didn't mean the sand disappeared. Blowing on the winds it entered through the cave's mouth ever second, more grains of crushed rock being deposited on the wolves.

Towards the back of the cave Tsume sat with Toboe lying cradled in his arms, the silver wolf for some strange reason not wanting to place the injured boy on the dirty ground. Hige lounged against a sidewall while Kiba stood at the entrance and watched the sandstorm continue to make traveling impossible.

"Hey! Kiba! Shouldn't we get the runt some help?" asked Tsume gruffly, trying to hide the actual concern he felt for the pup. "I'm getting all bloody over here."

"Then why don't you put him on the floor?" questioned Hige sarcastically. "I'm pretty sure your _leather _pants wouldn't get bloody then."

Tsume opened his mouth to retort when Kiba placed a gentle hand on each wolf's shoulder. "Easy," he breathed. "We must all try to get along for the rest of the journey. At some point we may need the energy that you two use up bickering."

Hige had the good grace to look ashamed at his behavior where as Tsume merely smirked, the 'I don't care' expression easily read on his face. "How are we supposed to clean it?" wondered Hige, a puzzled frown on his round face. "We don't have water or any sort of bandage."

"His hand isn't the only problem," muttered Tsume. "Take a look at his back." Gently, he turned Toboe over, the fourteen year old giving a soft moan. Kiba rolled up Toboe's shirt, a gasp coming from both of the wolves.

"What happened?" demanded Kiba, sapphire eyes flashing. "Who did this to him?"

"Haven't a clue," said Tsume with a nonchalant shrug. "Found it while you two found us this 'shelter'. The runt asked me not to tell but I'm doing so anyway."

"This isn't good," murmured Kiba, fingers running lightly over the marks. "An infection could set in easily...he's been over exerting himself today and doesn't look like he's eaten a good meal in quite a while. At this rate he'll collapse and possibly die."

"So what do you suppose we do about it?" queried Tsume, self consciously punching himself for making it sound like he actually cared about the boy.

"Our best bet would be too pull the cactus thorn out first," mused Kiba to himself. "We can staunch the blood flow with part of his shirt, maybe the sleeve..." Tsume ripped the right sleeve off of the emerald shirt and handed it soundlessly to Kiba.

"Hold him steady," instructed Kiba to Tsume. "If he jolts he could tear more of his flesh while I'm pulling it out." Tsume nodded and Kiba took Toboe's left hand and held it by the wrist, his index finger and thumb firmly grasping the thorn.

Carefully as possible, Kiba began to ease it out of Toboe's hand, the congealed blood not wanting to let go and sticking to the needle. Toboe whimpered and tried to draw his hand back to him but Kiba's iron like grip wasn't relenting.

"Almost there Toboe," he comforted, most of the long thorn now free from the boy's hand. With a final tug the thorn came out, blood now gushing from the open wound. Kiba quickly took the cloth and tied it around Toboe's palm.

"Aren't we going to clean it?" asked Hige, his forehead wrinkled in puzzlement.

"We don't have the supplies necessary to do so," said Kiba, now applying pressure to the wound. "If we were to leave it open for too long sand would blow in and a infection could settle. It's best to just wrap it for now and fix it later."

"What about his back? His chest and stomach aren't so great either," said Tsume, once more the note of concern creeping into his voice as well as heart.

"There's nothing we can do for him at the moment," said Kiba, fingers fluttering across the knife cuts coating Toboe's front. "But I don't want Toboe walking at all until we get him medical help."

"We can take turns carrying him," grumbled Tsume, forcing a frown onto his tan face.

"That would be the best plan," agreed Kiba, his blue eyes shimmering. "We'll stay here until the storm blows over...then we'd best head for the nearest town. As much as we should avoid humans they are the ones with medical supplies."

"I'm glad we're stopping," moaned Hige, "I'm starving! We can probably snatch some food while we're there...where is the nearest town anyway Kiba?"

"I'm not sure," he responded softly, still squeezing Toboe's hand, "we'll find out when we get there."

"W-what's going on?" mumbled Toboe, his amber eyes opening but unfocused and glassy. "Where are we?"

"Take it easy runt," cautioned Hige, "just lie still." Toboe did so, snuggling against Tsume as his body felt as cold as ice and the gray wolf was a steady source of warmth.

"We're waiting out a sandstorm here," said Kiba, nodding towards the golden winds that blew past the entrance of the den, some of it sweeping inside. "We had to take the thorn out of your hand and you have a temporary bandage on it for the minute."

"Oh...okay," Toboe whispered, his voice weak and his bright eyes closed once more.

"Don't go to sleep runt," growled Tsume, shaking the boy in his arms roughly. "Damn it! Open your eyes!"

"You have to stay awake Toboe," said Kiba gently. "You've lost quite a bit of blood and still are...if you lose too much you could go into shock and then into a coma. It's best if you stay awake."

"But I'm tired," Toboe whined, his eyes cracked open a fraction of an inch. "I want to sleep."

"Sorry runt, but if Kiba says something it goes," chuckled Hige. "Why don't you tell us about yourself to keep awake?"

"I...I don't have anything to say," said Toboe defensively, his body suddenly rigid and his muscles tensed as if he were going to spring at any second. "What about all of you guys?" he asked, desperately trying to move the topic away from himself.

The three older wolves looked at each other, silently agreeing to get the answer later. "Well, I'm just your average street wolf," said Hige with a smile. "I grew up on the streets as a wolf pup. But about a month ago I left my hometown and traveled because something was drawing me. I think it was Chezza..."

"It was Chezza," clarified Kiba. "I grew up with an Indian who rescued me," he said, turning to look at Toboe. "He understood that I had a destiny to fulfill and I left him to find the flower maiden. It is said that she will lead all wolves to paradise...it was her scent that brought me to this town, but it no longer lingers here."

"I've been in this run down town my entire life," scoffed Tsume. "I was head of a gang that stole from the Nobles. Just recently my gang fled town and I joined up with Kiba and this loser," he said, jerking his head at Hige.

"Nani?" exclaimed Hige, red eyes wide. "I'm not a loser!"

"Really? I never would have guessed."

"Why you-" Hige lunged at Tsume but was yanked back by his collar by Kiba.

"Now isn't the time to be fighting with each other," he stated calmly. "There is no sense is wasting our energy in meaningless fights that we might need later. Besides, you're scaring Toboe."

Indeed, the wolf pup's eyes were large with fear, as Hige had lunged at him as well. "Please don't fight," he whispered, good hand gripping Tsume's jacket, "I don't like it when we fight."

Tsume and Hige both got the point and shut up instantly; the only sounds now the roaring of the wind as it rushed across the small opening. "So..." said Hige awkwardly. "Anyone else got anything to say to keep the runt awake?"

"You're the idiot of the group," snickered Tsume. "Why don't you think of a story to tell him?"

Hige bristled but a restraining hand on his shoulder from Kiba kept him from lashing out at the ex-gang leader. "I don't know any stories," he mumbled, a light blush tingeing his cheeks.

"What's paradise like?" asked Toboe softly, eyes gazing at Kiba.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, a topic that was safe to talk about.

"I'm not really sure," admitted Kiba. "I suppose it would be a haven for all of us...perhaps flowers as far as they eye can see and fresh meat everywhere. We would be free to relax and enjoy life, no longer hunted by madmen. We would be free."

"That sounds nice," Toboe breathed, eyes closed as he imagined. "Can humans go there?" he asked. "Maybe Sarah will be there."

"Who's Sarah?" asked Hige.

"No one," Toboe said quickly, a sadness flickering in his eyes. "She's no one."

The three eldest wolves once more exchanged curious glances, knowing that whoever Sarah was she was obviously someone Toboe held close to his heart. "How much longer do you think this storm will last?" asked Tsume to fill the pause. "We should probably be leaving as soon as we can."

"Give or take a few hours," said Kiba. "We'll just have to wait here for a while. Just make sure you stay awake Toboe, okay? Toboe?" The pack leader tore his eyes away from the sands to look at the boy lying limp in Tsume's arms.

"Now we have problems," sighed Tsume, shaking Toboe and getting no reaction from the pup. "Now what do we do?"

* * *

"Damn wolf! Where the hell did he get too?" snarled Kevin, striding down the dark sidewalk, the streetlamps casting an eerie yellow glow over the pavement. The man was alone on the street, everyone else having gone home to their families long before. 

His black hair whipped behind him in the strong winds that gusted down the deserted roads, his red polo shirt blowing up around him. A scowl was on his face, dark brown eyes glimmering angrily.

Kevin had left The Shop only to find a bit of the leash tied around the pole, his wolf and servant gone. "He shouldn't be too hard to find," Kevin mused, fingering the chain around his neck. "I'll go home, get a good night's rest and then go after the runt tomorrow."

The man arrived at his home to find the door thrown completely off of its hinges, bits of splintered wood everywhere. With a curse, he walked over it and into his house, anger rising once more.

Entering his bedroom the rage boiled over when he saw the state Toboe had left it in. His clothes were everywhere, drawers hanging open and shoes cast randomly about. But what caught Kevin's eye was the nightstand drawer opened partway.

Yanking the drawer out all the way his hands frantically dove through the knick-knacks. "DAMN IT ALL!" he yelled, throwing the drawer to the floor with a sickening crack.

"You'll pay for that runt," he whispered harshly, his voice thin with anger. "Believe me...when I get my hands on you, you will pay." Picking up a duffel bag from the closet, Kevin began to pile in some clothes and other things he might need.

Entering the bathroom, he tossed in his shaving kit and toothbrush along with some soap and shampoo. "This should be enough," he growled, zipping the bag back up.

Throwing the strap over his shoulder, Kevin left his house, a black trench coat now blowing around his lean frame. His hand jerked the chain off of his neck and he pressed his thumb against the small silver disk embedded on one of the larger links.

A small red light emitted from the disk, taking the shape of a small arrow pointing right. "Found you," Kevin hissed, starting in the direction indicated. "And you're not too far off either..."

Depending on the amount of distance between the trackers the arrow would be brighter or dull. In this case, it was quite bright, a soft shine in the oppressing darkness. "Looks like you headed for the desert on the edge of town," he murmured.

After walking a few blocks of town Kevin settled himself down underneath a large oak tree in the middle of one of the parks in the town. "I'll stay here for the night," he said, resting his head on his duffel bag, "and in the morning I'll get you runt."

A sadistic smile spread over his face, eyes narrowing in hate. He couldn't exactly explain what he felt for the wolf he'd found fourteen years ago. Kevin knew what wolves were; knew what they were capable of and of their value to some of the Nobles.

The night he'd killed Sarah he'd found the wolf pup, just a newborn then. He'd known about wolves all of his life. When he had been six years old several wolves had attacked his town.

He'd seen them for what they were. One large black one had paused its feasting on its kill, the red eyes meeting Kevin's brown. In that instant he knew the dog was no dog. It had opened its mouth, fangs dripping with bright red blood from the dead woman beneath it. The woman who had once been Kevin's mother.

The small boy had been extremely lucky the wolf hadn't killed him as well. Just as he had been about to lunge some of the police of the town had come and stunned the dog. Of course it had been put to death for its crimes and Kevin had been sent to live with his aunt in another city.

Every night he'd have nightmares about the black wolf, it's demonic crimson eyes seeming to bore holes into him. At fifteen he'd found a book titled _The Book of the Moon. _It was there his suspicions were confirmed: wolves did live.

For the next several years he went around the world gathering information about the said extinct species, which is when he'd met Sarah. The young woman had run into Kevin on the street and it had been love at first sight.

The man had dropped his obsession with the wolves, no longer double glancing at any supposed human when he detected too agile of movements or secrecy the figure outwardly displayed. Sarah had become the sole focus of his life.

For two years they had courted, both content with their newfound love. That was until one fateful night.

Kevin had taken a walk by himself in the city at night, his small gun safely tucked inside his coat pocket. One could never be too cautious in such a city known widely for its gangs and violence.

A shadow had darted in front of him, a lean young man around his own age. He'd had dark, tan skin and midnight black hair cut short behind his ears. Silver eyes had pierced into Kevin's soul as this stranger paused to study him.

Something had registered in Kevin's mind as the figure seemed to almost vanish into the blackness. His gun had been removed before he could even register what his hands were doing and a single bullet had been fired.

The bit of metal caught the man deep in his back and he stumbled forward two steps before falling to his knees. A woman's scream sounded in the night and Kevin had turned to see his beloved Sarah standing behind him, having witnessed the entire thing. Before he could say anything she'd fled, her shoes clapping loudly against the cement pavement.

Kevin had slowly made his way to the still figure and knelt down next to him, gun still out and pointing.

"You...bastard," the man had muttered weakly, eyes burning with hatred. And before Kevin's eyes the tanned man had turned into a dark golden colored wolf, blood still pouring from the wound although the chest no longer moved. He had done it...he had killed a wolf.

A thrill went through his veins, an icy tingle laced with warmth running up and down his spine. He now held the power. No longer did he need to fear wolves, they were weak animals for him to dispose of.

He'd gone to Sarah's house only to find it locked and dark. Kevin remembered that Sarah sometimes went to her parents' house at night and decided to pay them a visit. What he found there wasn't a welcoming committee.

Sarah's dad firmly refused him to see his daughter; his wife calling the police and telling them a murder was at their house. Kevin had wasted no time...he needed to get rid of the old man and his woman. Before Sarah's father even had a chance to shout a warning he'd slumped to the ground, a bullet embedded deep in his head.

Kevin had stalked into the house, blood from the elderly man splattered over his coat. Sarah's mother turned from the phone when she heard the floorboards creak and a short scream had escaped her throat before she too died by the man's hand.

"Sarah? Where are you?" he called, honey sweet voice wafting through the house. "I won't hurt you angel, you know that."

He'd walked through a door into the living room when a large book had slammed down on top of his head, dazing him but not knocking him out. "What's wrong angel?" he asked, leveling the gun at his girlfriend.

"You killed them!" she gasped, eyes wide with fright. "My parents and that man on the street! You killed them Kevin!"

"Do you want to die too, Sarah?" he asked, now circling with the gun still pointing at the young woman.

"Put the gun down," she responded, voice wavering and tears pouring silently down her face, "put it down Kevin."

"Will you marry me?" he asked suddenly, stopping his movement. "Will you marry me Sarah?"

"What?" she breathed, eyes widening. A sudden look of resolve came over her fair features, the sense of fear disappearing to be replaced with determination. "Never," she spat, copper curls bobbing about her face, "the answer is no Kevin! NO!"

"Then you'll die," he snarled, cocking the gun. "Bye angel." The gun sounded off, Sarah raising the book she'd been holding as a shield. The small bit of metal dove into the many pages, never going out the back cover.

At the same second the woman collapsed from the impact, police officers stormed the house, taking the manically laughing man with them. He managed to escape the officers and took to the life of a common thief until he was eventually caught and placed in jail, various accounts of murder and robbery.

"And then I escaped," Kevin said softly, a satisfied smile on his face, the teeth glinting brightly amongst the gloom. "After almost three years I got out of that damn, no-good prison and out here where I found my own wolf."

The only reason Toboe's life was spared was because of his newness to the world. He was so young he hadn't yet developed instincts to kill or the teeth to maim. He was a small puppy, almost harmless.

Kevin had seen that in the pup and brought him home, planning to raise him to become a servant, one who would always obey his master and do as he was told. And the result was almost perfect. The boy was broken, his spirit in pieces from the constant abuse he received each day. But yet he still had some heart after attempting to run away once and occasionally disobeying.

Kevin settled down to sleep, eyes closing tiredly, but not before he spoke one last line to the night, the words chilling to the very core. "I'm coming for you runt...ready or not here I come."

**Author's Notes:**

Fyi, before I say anything else I'd like to say I've started school and have a ton of homework! Being in honor classes can be a drag sometimes. T.T So, **updates may take a while** and thank you very much for your patience as you wait for the next chapter.

Oh, and something to apologize for. Last chapter I used the character Hiei from Yu Yu Hakusho twice in the chapter. Oops! To clear anything up, it's Toboe I mean when I'm talking about the tracker and when Hige claps Toboe on the back I meant Hige! Sorry for any confusion this might have caused!

I have a question for all of those who watch Wolf's Rain on Cartoonnetwork. Does the series finish or do you have to buy the last DVD? And is it true the last few episodes are only in Japanese? Just curious.

I hope none of you were too bored by that part with Kevin...I thought we all needed to go back to see what happened to him in his life. It kind of reminds you of Quent save the fact that wolves actually did murder Kevin's mom.

I'd like to also thank all of you for your wonderful support for this fic! n.n I luv getting your feedback so please send it in! Even the smallest entry is appreciated greatly!

**Reviewer's Comments:**

**LishaChan** No, we probably won't meet Leara again. I put her in to show a present moment with Toboe when someone was nice to him. She was also the one who really made him up his determination to get free so she had a small part there! n.n Of course Kevin is going to come after him! lol

**Bily's Shadow** Thank you! n.n So who's your fave character? Mine's easily Toboe followed by Tsume but Blue is so kewl too!

**Kitsune Foxfire** I actually feel a little bad for Kevin now...darn it, I shouldn't give my bad guys such a sad past....it always makes you feel for them. Or at least me. lol Well, I guess I did the whole pack! I had to bring Tsume in and I've recently got a new obsession for Hige! He is so kawaii without the collar! Update your fic soon too! I wanna find out what happens now that they've gotten out! lol, update when you can, I'll be waiting!

**Kawaii Ed**  
Toboe: HELP ME! I DON'T WANNA GO IN THE CLOSET! is thrown in LET ME OUT!  
lol, poor Toboe. But if you hadn't thrown him in yours he would have been living in mine! lol Btw, who else is in your closet?

**Karasu Sage** Thanx! n.n Do you read/watch Yu Yu Hakusho? Or is your name referring to a different Karasu? I luv Hiei if you do! lol I personally liked Karasu better with black hair...the blond was kinda freaky. lol, so was his obession with Kurama!

**Katie **Here's more! Hope you liked it!

**Black Panther Wolf** That'd be kewl, I'll keep it in mind. But it might be a few towns later cuz Kevin is pretty far behind! O.o But I like the idea, thanks! n.n And I luv your username! Panthers, koalas, wolves, and elephants are the best animals!!

**Kaiya-Chan** I like Tsume better that way too! I personally think he sees Gil (is that how you spell it) in Toboe. I mean, he accidently killed Gil by not pulling him to safetly and then Toboe fell into the same situation but he did save him. So I think he's sort of nice to Toboe (at times) because he doesn't want to fail Toboe like he did Gil. That's my theory at least.

**sisko66002**Hope to see you around then! What fic are you writing now?

**Blue Demon** I'm glad you do! Yep, I think meeting the rest of the gang made more people feel like it was closer to the Wolf's Rain storyline, don't you? I mean, it's still kinda Au-ish, but it has more of the show's feel now!n.n

**Yume no Anime** Now how can I say no to the puppy-Toboe eyes? lol, I luv his eyes! His and Tsume's are the best! The amber just really seems to fit Toboe perfectly! I like to think Toboe of the 'Voice of Innocence' of the group cuz he's so young and unaware of real horrors in the world. Hope to see you again!

**Jazz7** No problem! Unlike some authors who only put popular reviewers on their lists I put everyone on, whether they're a well known name or not. I think I should respond to all of you since you all took the time to talk to me! n.n Beyond awesome! Yay!!

**NightShadow131** lol, it is funny! Shows you I'm thinking of my little fire demon in a Wolf's Rain fic...kinda scary. What if I'd started replacing everyone's names? O.o Nope, unfortunately the cacutus did not pierce the tracking device, it's in the wrong hand. T.T Yep, guess it is a good think I like long reviews! lol I'm glad I portrayed Tsume oki, I have to agree. He's have to be pretty heartless to not feel a tad for poor Toboe! Ja ne!

**Lara** Well, I'd have to say Kevin wasn't very happy at all! lol, he kinda seems like a madman. It's too bad it took Kevin the entire day to realize Toboe was gone! If he'd only gone out and checked on him earlier...

**SS2 Megami-sama** Arigatou for the explanation! Mmmm, Usher! I want Linkin Park! lol, I have suddenly found this huge obsession with their music! I used to think they were a stupid rap group but I've learned differently. In fact, I'm listening to Breaking the Habit right now!

**Pietro **I e-mailed you but never got a response...did you get my message? If you didn't, here goes. I luv Yugioh! Seto is my fave character of all time but Malik is pretty close behind! All the wolves do die but they are all ressurected after Chezza dies! n.n

**BrittneyAnna** lol, I know I know! I didn't even realize until you and Nightshadow told me! Guess my brain is a little focused on Black Tears, huh? lol I was grossed out with the meat part! and the blood! How could she do a thing like that!? Do you get what's going on with the '23' thing? that old wolf that died made it sound like the collared wolves were drawn to Jagara's Keep so she could find the white wolf aka Kiba. Is that right or did I totally mess it up?

**coffeentoffee** They're all going to help him but I probably will focus more on Tsume since I'm trying to work out a brother/brother or father/son relationship. n.n

**Satanira** ...I almost feel bad for the poor bishies...but then again...-_glomps Toboe-_ maybe not. And no Heero, it isn't nice to talk to Satanira like that! And cleany is a word! I think...lol And annoying all of you guys is fun! Tsume, you get so much cuter when you're angry! lol Talk to y'all later! lol

**HigesLittleProblem** Thanx! n.n Sorry the update took so long! Here's the chapter! And cute username btw! n.n

**Toboe's pup** A little? lol, Tsume probably kill them for hurting his 'friend' and I don't think Kiba or Hige would like it much either. Watch out Kevin, the wolves are coming for you! lol

**fenrir722 ** Here's more! Hope you enjoyed it!

**AkimaDM** Thank you! n.n Does the DM in your name stand for anything? I'm naturally curious, a rather bad habit! lol


	4. Going On Alone

**Disclaimer: I am still unable to say I own Wolf's Rain. But I do own my crazy, hectic life…would anyone like to take it?**

**Racing for Freedom **

**Chapter Four- Going on Alone**

Amber eyes blinked open, still filled with sleep. Turning his head, Toboe scanned the small den the wolves had camped down in the night before. Kiba was curled up in his wolf form at the mouth of the cave, as if watching for any intruders though he was fast asleep. Hige was slumped on wall next to Tsume, his chest rising slowly up and down. And the boy was sitting on top of Tsume, the eldest wolf's head leaning back against the hard packed sand.

Toboe glanced down at his hand, wrapped now with one of his shirtsleeves, the blood momentarily stopped. Unfortunately, he noticed it hadn't gone through his right hand. If that had happened maybe, just maybe, the tracker would have been destroyed. Sure, he could purposely try and step on a cactus now to break it, but what if he sent it through a main vein? He'd been extremely lucky this time…next time he couldn't be sure.

'_I can't stay here,' _Toboe sighed, coming to the sudden realization. Since he knew Kevin had probably already gone out after him, it wouldn't be too long till he caught up. And when he didn't, he wouldn't hesitate to kill Toboe's newfound friends. And to save them, Toboe knew what he had to do.

Looking up once more at Tsume to make sure the man was truly asleep, Toboe eased himself onto the sand covered floor, sitting perfectly still as the silver wolf shifted in his sleep, before thankfully settling back down. Picking his way carefully across the floor, Toboe stepped around Kiba and exited into the desert, the sandstorm fortunately having lessened quite a bit. Now, only occasional winds swept the sand, making the going much easier.

"I'm sorry," Toboe whispered, staring into the dark opening of the den. "But this is better…for all of us." Deciding to continue heading north, Toboe set off across the barren landscape, feet sinking into the dunes and leaving a rather well marked trail behind them. "The wind should cover it before they wake up," the wolf panted, already feeling faint after several minutes.

His whole body protested, his feet seeming to be made of lead and dragging him deeper into the sand. His back screamed as he trudged forward, the scabs that had formed now tearing open with the strain, trickles of blood streaming from the wounds and falling to the copper sand. His left hand still gave off a sharp ache of pain, and he still felt as though the cactus was embedded in it, hot, spikes of agony shooting through at times.

"I have to keep going," he told himself, forcing his feet to move forward. "I…can't let Kevin find me." Toboe knew that if Kevin did manage to catch him, he probably would have preferred to die out in the desert, his pain and suffering coming to a quick close. His master was not a person who forgave easily or readily. He would beat Toboe till he was almost dead, and then leave him, waiting for the boy to clean up his wounds before he'd start again. By then, he'd be wishing that Kevin actually did kill him.

The wind deterred Toboe from walking in a straight path, the boy occasionally falling to the ground from the heavy gusts of air, a soft cry escaping between his cracked and bleeding lips as he landed on his injured hand. "Have to…keep going," he muttered, struggling to rise once more to his feet after collapsing on the coppery grains of sand. "I can't let…them catch up to me…"

Rising unsteadily, Toboe took a step forward before falling once more, the sand slippery beneath his feet. What scared the boy was he knew he wasn't well…normally, he'd have been sweating by now, but all he felt was cold and clammy. "I'm dehydrated," he whispered, licking his lips to try and find some moisture, but only tasting sand. "But where am I going to find water in a desert?"

Some part of the boy couldn't help but wish at that moment for Tsume and the others. For them to come, scold him for running, but to comfort and protect him…to make his pain go away. But the more logical part of his brain knew that if that happened, he'd only be wishing them a quicker death.

"You're stronger then this," he berated himself, crawling forward a few feet with his hand clutched against his chest. "If you can't get up, you'll just be the runt you've always been told you are." Whimpering, Toboe forced himself to keep moving, to ignore the searing pain he felt with each step, the feel of blood dripping down his back…he had to ignore it.

As he continued, black spots began to dance on the edge of his vision, before they slowly started moving inwards, overtaking the brown of the desert, until there was nothing but darkness. Without a sound, Toboe fell to the ground, this time not getting up.

The first thing that occurred to Tsume was sand was blowing on his face as he awoke, the little grains pelting his body and making him quite annoyed. The second thing was that the weather seemed to have gotten hotter, as he already felt sweat clinging to his brow though he was simply sitting…in the shade. And the final thing he noticed was that the excess weight he'd felt on him all night was gone.

Startled by his newest discovery, Tsume jumped to his feet, looking wildly around the den. "Wake up," he ordered, kicking Hige in the side before doing the same to Kiba before jumping over the white wolf and looking outside for any sign of the kid they'd found.

Only endless hills of sand greeted his golden eyes, a harsh breeze blowing the particles against him and sweeping over the ground. But barely noticeable, the wolf found a russet color on the earth that hadn't been completely covered yet. "The runt left," he said, entering back into the cavern, both Kiba and Hige watching him with interest.

"In his condition?" gasped Hige, red eyes growing large. "But he'll die!"

"We have to go after him," decided Kiba, his face set. "Tsume, did you see any sign of him?"

"No. But there was blood outside…he looks like he was heading north, but with the wind he could probably be blown off course."

"We'll head that direction. Hige, sniff for blood, okay?"

The brown wolf nodded and dropped into his animal form, knowing that it would be easier to go across the desert terrain like this, the other wolves following suit. With Hige leading out of the den, the three began to head in the direction Toboe had gone, Hige's nose pressed to the ground for any scent of blood as the other two steered him in the right direction.

'_He can't have gone very far,' _said Kiba, giving his coat a good shake to unsettle all of the sand. '_Toboe's injured and probably can't move very fast. I'm quite surprised he's moving at all in fact.'_

'_I found more blood!' _Hige barked excitedly. _'This way! Come on!' _For quite a while the group followed the trail, occasionally having to backtrack as they realized Toboe had changed direction and they hadn't.

'_We've been out here for over an hour,' _Tsume observed, worry tearing at his heart. '_How do we know the runt isn't buried beneath all of this sand?'_

'_I don't think it could blow that fast,' _remarked Kiba, blue eyes scanning the endless desert for any sign of the boy. _'Besides, we would smell him beneath the sand…I'm actually starting to pick up on the blood as well…there is more in each patch…almost like a solid trail now.'_

Tsume had also started to smell the coppery scent of blood, and that only served to make him grow even more concerned. And now, the trail was starting to become visible, the blood fresher then it had been. They were getting closer to Toboe…but would they make it in time?

Would the young wolf be dead, lying cold and still on the hot sand, blood still leaking from his wounds? Then what? What would they do? None of them had any idea. Just hours before, they'd met Toboe and had already developed a strong urge to protect the pup, to help him. But if he was dead, then what?

In a way, they would have themselves to blame. Not keeping a better eye on him, not doing everything in their power to heal the cuts and lashes on his stomach and back. But it wasn't all of their fault either. Toboe had chosen to leave, no one had made him. Why, they didn't know, but it seemed that Toboe thought it was best.

Would they feel grief? Oh yes, they would. Overwhelming heartache, seeing the frail body spread out on the ground, a crimson pool around the still figure, fur stained a deep red, eyes closed in an eternal sleep. Guilt? That too. They had been the ones to bring him out here, the reason he was heading for paradise.

The three older wolves stumbled over another dune, six eyes widening as they saw the scene each had been depicting in his mind, though Toboe was still in his human form meaning he hadn't died yet. Racing down the hill, now back themselves to human, they formed a barrier around the pup to protect him from the wind as Kiba began to inspect him.

"He's completely dehydrated," the dark haired wolf announced, "and I think he's running a fever, though that could be from just this heat."

"I think he really is," said Hige. "One of those cuts has to have been infected by now, and that's probably causing the fever."

"He's also injured himself more," Kiba said, looking at the boy's back, wincing slightly at the torn flesh and blood. "We have to get him to a doctor."

"Then let's go," growled Tsume, leaning over and scooping Toboe gently into his arms.

"But where is the town?" queried Hige, eyes scanning the endless desert. "I don't see anything out here except sand."

"A town can't be too far off," said Kiba hopefully. "We'll just keep heading north until we run into something or until we smell humans."

"Isn't that a bit vague?" scoffed Tsume. "We could _all _die by then if we don't find somewhere to go."

"We won't. I have faith in all of us, even Toboe. We'll get out of here somehow. Now let's go."

Taking the lead, Kiba led the pack in a fast walk across the plains, though the going was harder now that he was in his human form. The wind tore at his jacket and whipped his hair back in his face, the sand getting in his eyes and mouth. Already, he began to feel more parched, the air dryer higher up.

After just an hour of walking, Kiba called a halt, sinking down to the ground and taking a deep breath, careful to keep one hand over his mouth so he didn't inhale sand. "Why are…we…stopping?" panted Hige, falling to the ground with a soft thud.

"I didn't expect the desert conditions to be this bad," the leader said, turning to face his group. "If we were traveling as wolves, we'd be fine, but like this we're going much slower and wasting energy. Though with Toboe like this, I don't think we can transform."

"Why don't you go scout ahead and find a town?" suggested Tsume. "The three of us will stay here until you come back. At least then we'd know what direction we're supposed to go to.

"Good idea," agreed Kiba, dropping to all fours. _'Stay here, don't move. I'll try to be back before nightfall.' _That said, the white wolf took off into the distance, disappearing shortly in a curtain of sand. Tsume and Hige watched him go, both wishing for the wolf to travel as though he were flying; quickly over the sand to find help for their new friend.

"There is one thing that's bothering me," said Hige looking warily over his shoulder. When Tsume didn't answer, he continued. "Toboe lost so much blood…there's bound to be something out there that smells it."

Tsume stiffened and then shrugged, trying to make it look like he didn't care. "We can take out anything that comes near. Don't worry so much porky."

"But I sense something," the brown wolf insisted, glancing again back over his shoulder. "Something is out there, Tsume."

"Nothing is going to get us," Tsume growled.

"But it isn't an animal," Hige continued, now standing and staring into the distance. "It's a human…"

"Then we definitely have nothing to worry about."

"But…it isn't a real human. It smells different. And it keeps getting closer…but not from behind or in front of us."

"Then where's it coming from? The sky?" Tsume sneered.

"I think so." Tsume shook his head at the other wolf's stupidity, before the unthinkable happened.

A figure did drop from the sky and landed on top of Hige. The younger wolf, after a second of catching his breath, rolled the person off of him. "It's a girl," he concluded, looking at the figure.

She had light, lavender colored hair and skin so white it almost looked like snow. A pinkish cloak was wrapped around her shoulders, a skin tight suit of white material hugging her body. But the most unique thing about her was the smell she gave off. The smell of lunar flowers.

"It's Cheza," gasped Hige, picking the girl up gently in his arms. "Talk about luck!"

"Where is…this one?" Cheza's voice was soft, and seemed to be tired. Her eyes opened to reveal a pair of captivating scarlet colored eyes that blinked sleepily up at Hige.

"The middle of the desert," Hige said. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, this one is fine," the flower maiden smiled. "But he does not look fine," she said, pointing at Toboe.

"That's Toboe," Hige said as Cheza knelt down next to the boy. "He's been injured pretty bad."

"This one will try to help him," the girl murmured, placing both hands over Toboe's body. A soft, green aura began to emit from her to the boy. As both Tsume and Hige watched in fascination, Toboe began to heal, the cuts on him melting into unblemished skin, the bruises completely fading. "Toboe will be tired for a little while, but he is better now."

"How did you do that?" Hige asked, staring at the flower maiden with awe and respect.

"This one knows how to heal," she said softly, casting her eyes to the floor. "But I do not think that is why the man wanted this one."

"Man?" asked Tsume, looking up at the sky, as if waiting for another figure to drop.

"A wolf," she clarified, "just like the three of you. He took this one away, but this one managed to escape."

"I wonder who it was," mused Hige, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Oh!" he exclaimed, blushing slightly. "I'm Hige and that's Tsume. And you'll meet Kiba later, he's out right now."

"This one is very happy to meet all of you," Cheza smiled, dropping into a curtsy. "Are you too heading for paradise?"

"We are," said Hige. "But we don't know how to get there. We were looking for you earlier, but you disappeared."

"This one can take you to paradise."

"Will you really?" Hige cried excitedly, hugging the flower maiden. "You're the best, Cheza!"

"This one will be quite happy to take you all."

"Someone new is coming," observed Hige, straightening and peering into the blowing waves of sand. "Oh," he said, sitting back down, "it's Kiba."

Seconds later, the white wolf came out of a curtain of sand and into the little group. "There's a town about a good thirty miles from here," he panted, not yet noticing Cheza. "If we hurry, we should be able to get him there by tomorrow."

"Kiba?" Cheza was standing next to the white wolf and looking adoringly up at him.

The white wolf blinked several times, not believing the flower maiden was right there. "Kiba, this is Cheza," Hige grinned. "She healed Toboe and agreed to take up to paradise."

"But…how…when?"

"This one was flying over the desert," said Cheza. "This one fell out of the helicopter and fell on top of Hige."

"And then she saw Toboe and cured him," Hige grinned. "So, should we get going?"

"We should probably try and wait out the storm for a little while," said Kiba wisely. "There's some rocks that would provide good shelter just a ways up. We can head there for the night."

The group set out again, a new member now with them. With this hope, they would finally reach paradise. And there they could live in peace…forever.

**Author's Notes:**

Yay! An update! I've been getting e-mails from some very persistent people about this fic, so I decided I really needed to get an update in. I'm now off to hurriedly type up PC and pray it's ready to go by tomorrow. :P

If anyone here is into Harry Potter, I just put up a one-shot today if you'd care to read.

And I started spelling Cheza like that now. If anyone knows if it is two z's or one, could you let me know? Arigatou!

As always, reviews are appreciated very, very much. And we'll be seeing some Kevin next chappie!! Yay!


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